Framework in North America

In the United States and Canada there are multiple examples of framework legislation.

United States    Maine | Rhode Island | California | Minnesota | Oregon | Washington
Canada    Canada-wide EPR Framework | British Columbia

Legislation introduced 2009-2011

For general information on Product Stewardship/EPR see About EPR.  

UNITED STATES 

Product Policy Institute initiated detailed framework drafting in 2006 with both the Northwest Product Stewardship Council and California Product Stewardship Council.  Starting in 2008, framework EPR legislation has been introduced in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island and New York.  In 2010, Maine became the first state to pass a framework bill in 2010.

Maine  -  Legislation passed March 2010

• Framework Law:  Sec. 1. 38 MRSA c. 18   An Act To Provide Leadership Regarding the Responsible Recycling of Consumer Products  http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_124th/chapdocs/PUBLIC516.rtf
• Flow Chart: http://www.nrcm.org/documents/product_stewardship_flowchart.pdf
• Natural Resources Council of Maine web page
• Product Policy Institute release

Rhode Island

• Legislation:  H 5888  (introduced 2011)  http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText11/HouseText11/H5888.pdf

California 

• CalReycle has an extensive selection of documents on the framework EPR policy approach.  See http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/EPR/  Two important documents are:
  • Overall Framework for an Extended Producer Responsibility System in California. See http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/EPR/Framework/Framework.pdf
  • CalRecycle Product Stewardship (PS) Legislation Checklist.  See http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/EPR/Framework/Checklist.pdf
• The California Product Stewardship Council’s web site has information on EPR from the local government perspective. See http://www.calpsc.org/policies/state/epr-framework.html

Minnesota 

• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s product stewardship website: http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/stewardship/index.cfm
  • Product Stewardship Recommendation Report (Jan. 2009)  http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/stewardship/study.cfm
• Legislation:  HF 2407 (2009-2010, did not pass):  https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=House&f=HF2407&ssn=0&y=2009

Oregon

• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Product Stewardship website:  http://www.deq.state.or.us/lq/sw/prodstewardship/index.htm
• Legislation:  HB 3060  (2009, did not pass)  http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measpdf/hb3000.dir/hb3060.intro.pdf

Washington 

• Governor’s Climate Action Team, Beyond Waste report:  http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/2008CAT_iwg_bw.htm (see page 65)
• Legislation:  HB 1718, Reducing Greenhouse Gases in Washington  (2009-2010, did not pass)  http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1718&year=2009  (see sections 318 through 360).

CANADA

Canada-Wide Action Plan for EPR 

The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment adopted in 2009 a Canada-wide Action Plan for Extended Producer Responsibility. 
This is a federal framework for bringing most products and packaging under EPR regulation in the provinces.  The strategy calls for commitments from provinces and territories, including two lists of products to be considered for implementation.

Phase 1  (by 2015), includes;

• packaging and printed materials,
• electronics and electrical products,
• mercury-containing products (including lamps),
• household hazardous and special wastes, and
• automotive products.

Phase 2  (by 2017), includes;

• construction and demolition materials,
• furniture, textiles and carpet, and
• appliances.

Resources

• Canada-wide Action Plan for Extended Producer Responsibility http://www.ccme.ca/ourwork/waste.html?category_id=128
• Canada-wide Strategy for Sustainable Packaging http://www.ccme.ca/assets/pdf/sp_strategy.pdf
• Extended Producer Responsibility Product Evaluation Tool http://www.ccme.ca/assets/pdf/pn_1397_epr_guidance_manual_e.pdf

British Columbia  

British Columbia has been the North American leader in establishing and implementing a flexible stewardship framework. Adopted in 2004, British Columbia's Recycling Regulation is the model for framework EPR legislation for several US states.

Resources:  

• British Columbia Industry Product Stewardship Business Plan (2002) http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/recycling/history/busplan.htm 
• Recycling Regulation (B.C. Reg. 449/2004) http://www.canlii.org/en/bc/laws/regu/bc-reg-449-2004/latest/bc-reg-449-2004.html
• Evolution of Industry-Led Product Stewardship Model in British Columbia. 
  B.C.’s Product Stewardship Agencies (2011; Video, 14 min.)    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGWNfMfoSjU
• British Columbia’s Recycling Handbook:  A Simple Guide to What Can Be Recycled Under B.B’s Stewardship Programs.  B.C.’s Product Stewardship Agencies (2010).  http://www.return-it.ca/ips/index.html 
• British Columbia’s Product Stewardship Programs Summary. Recycling Council of British Columbia (updated August 2011).  http://rcbc.bc.ca/education/product-stewardship/table

OECD

Extended Producer Responsibility: A Guidance Manual for Governments. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2001) http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display.asp?lang=EN&sf1=identifiers&st1=972001041p1